Celebrating the 2025 Alumni Award Recipients
Thousands of Kansas City University (KCU) alumni make a profound impact on their communities every day.
Whether through patient care, public service, civic engagement or professional leadership, KCU graduates exemplify excellence and compassion in all they do—bringing pride to themselves and their alma mater.
Each year, the KCU Alumni Awards recognize exceptional individuals whose achievements embody the University's mission and values.
We will honor the 2025 Alumni Award recipients during Homecoming Weekend, October 16–18.
Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award
Joseph P. McGuirk, DO (COM 1990)
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Joseph P. McGuirk, DO, currently serves as director for the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Cancer Center and holds the endowed Schutte-Speas Professorship in Hematology-Oncology. Dr. McGuirk currently serves in ASTCT Board of Directors as a Director and Chairs the AACI National CAR-T initiative. He has worked in the field of hematologic malignancies for over 30 years and has published extensively in the areas of stem cell transplantation and cellular therapeutics. |
Additionally, Dr. McGuirk serves as the principal investigator of numerous clinical trials in both areas, and currently oversees many cellular therapy clinical trials, including two investigator-initiated trials for which he holds an FDA IND. He completed his residency at Yale, fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and subsequently served as associate director of the Yale Stem Cell Transplant Program.
Graduate of the Last Decade Award | College of Biosciences
Matthew Voelker, DO, MS (COB 2015)
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Matthew C. Voelker, DO, MS, currently serves as a fellowship-trained interventional spine and pain management specialist at South Florida Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. Dr. Voelker is a graduate of Kansas City University where he obtained a Master of Science degree and a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation through the ACGME Residency Program Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, FL, and his fellowship training at Cantor Spine Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. |
Dr. Voelker’s training in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) focused on enhancing and restoring functional ability and quality of life for patients, maximizing patients’ independence in activities of daily living and improving quality of life.
Graduate of the Last Decade Award | College of Osteopathic Medicine
Colby Simmons, DO (COM 2013)
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Colby G. Simmons, DO, is an associate professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Colorado. A 2013 graduate from both Kansas City University and Rockhurst University where he received his MBA in Healthcare Leadership. After medical school he completed residency in anesthesiology at the University of Colorado followed by a fellowship in Neuroanesthesia. Dr. Simmons is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards including the American Society of Anesthesiologists Emerging Leaders Award, Global Humanitarian Outreach award, and Resident International Scholar. |
After residency, he founded CU Global Anesthesiology and continues to serve as director, leading efforts in Uganda, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Bolivia. The life-changing and sustainable results of these programs are a testament to his passion for service to underserved communities around the world. Additionally, he has also been elected to serve on various boards and committees both locally and nationally.
In addition to service, Dr. Simmons is an avid researcher and publisher of his work, serving as principal investigator on various multi-site investigations as well as leading quality improvement projects that have translated into millions of dollars of savings and improvements in patient quality and safety. His impressive CV demonstrates academic excellence as evidenced by dozens of publications in peer reviewed journals and textbooks, and numerous grant awards.
Distinguished Service Award
Laura Rosch, DO
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Laura M. Rosch, DO, is a dedicated physician whose career reflects a blend of clinical experience, educational leadership and commitment to osteopathic medicine. She graduated from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, earning the Internal Medicine Award. She served as program director for both the traditional rotating internship and internal medicine residency at Mt. Sinai in Chicago and chaired internal medicine departments at CCOM and the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine. |
She held the position of Campus Dean, first at Kansas City University in Joplin, Missouri (2019-2022), and currently at Rocky Vista University in Ivins, Utah.
Dr. Rosch serves on the Board of the American College of Osteopathic Internists, the Osteopathic Board of Deans for AACOM and the Board of the American Osteopathic Foundation. Her leadership experience includes past presidency of the Illinois Osteopathic Association and in her current role as an ex-officio member of the Utah Osteopathic Medical Association.
Before transitioning to her academic and administrative roles, Dr. Rosch dedicated over 25 years to direct patient care serving as an internal medicine physician and hospitalist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Her commitment to service is deeply rooted in the mentorship of Drs. Gary Slick, George Caleel and Robert Bulow.
Alumnus of the Year Award
Katina Rue, DO (COM 2004)
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Katina Rue, DO, is an osteopathic family physician, educator, mentor and advocate. She is a graduate of the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed a family medicine and osteopathic medicine residency at the Medical Center of Independence. |
She is clinical faculty at all three medical schools in Washington state. She represents WA Family Physicians at the AAFP Congress of Delegates as an Alternate Delegate. She serves on the Bree Collaborative as a representative of the Washington Osteopathic Medical Association. She is the current chair of the Assembly of Osteopathic Graduate Medical Educators. She is a past president of the Northwest Osteopathic Medical Foundation and the Osteopathic Foundation of Central Washington.
In addition to serving on many local, state and regional boards and foundations she is passionate about leadership, mentorship, community, health equity and belonging. And, even though occasionally plagued by “imposter syndrome,” she strives to inspire future leaders to step into health care leadership, to let their voices be heard and to confidently take a seat at the table.
Star Spangled Banner Medallion
Rebecca deVillers, DO (COM 1976)
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Rebecca E. deVillers, CAPT., MC, USN, DO, was commissioned an Ensign in the US Navy in 1973 and became the tenth woman designated as a Naval Flight Surgeon in 1977. Her first assignment was at Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, attached to Patrol Squadron 23. She deployed to Spain, Iceland and Portugal, providing medical care to both her squadron and at the base hospitals. In 2003, Dr. deVillers was recalled to active duty in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom, providing care to marines, sailors and soldiers in Kuwait. |
After her deployment, she returned to her reserve unit supporting marines and sailors in Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. During her annual training, she provided support in Korea and as officer in charge for Arctic Care Team 1 in Shishmaref, Alaska.
Dr. deVillers earned numerous citations and awards, including the Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon and Volunteer Service Medal. During and after her military career, she practiced full-time in Central Ohio and held several leadership roles, including chair of the Department of Family Medicine and medical staff president at Doctors Hospital and serving on the Board of Directors for OhioHealth, one of the state’s largest health systems.
Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, the Alumni Association Board at Kansas City University, and other organizations. Dr. deVillers earned her bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and her DO from Kansas City University. She lives in Ashville, Ohio, with her husband, Jim Mills, and has three children and three grandchildren.
Alumni Service Award
Douglas C. Hill, DO (COM 1973)
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Douglas M Hill, DO, is a board-certified emergency physician with certification from both the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) and the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine (AOBEM). A 1973 graduate of Kansas City University (KCU), he completed his postgraduate training at Green Cross General Hospital and Akron General Medical Center in Ohio. |
He was awarded professor of Emergency Medicine by KCU in 1995 for his contributions to KCU students’ clinical clerkship rotations in Emergency Medicine in the Denver area throughout the 1980s and 90s. He received KCU’s Mentoring Pathways Outstanding Service Award in 2002.
Dr. Hill served on the KCU’s Alumni Association Board (1993-2000), including as President (1998-1999) and on both the KCU Board of Trustees (1998-2000) and KCU Foundation Board (1997-1999). He also contributed to the KCU Homecoming CME Conferences (1997-2021), serving as Chair in 2000.
He was the first DO elected to the Board of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) serving two terms (1994-2000). He is credited with ACEP’s (and the general EM community’s) formal recognition of AOBEM, under the jurisdiction of the AOA, as one of only two recognized certifying bodies in Emergency Medicine, earning ACEP’s Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Medicine Award in 2001.
He served three terms on the Board of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP) 2001-2110, and represented postgraduate Emergency Medicine to the AOA’s Program and Trainee Review Council (PTRC) (2010-2025). ACOEP honored him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
Now retired from clinical practice in Denver, Dr. Hill volunteers at critical access hospitals in rural Missouri.